Mountaineer teams look to be on track for success

The girls' track team hopes to soar this spring. File photo With numerous practices now under his belt, long-time Wachusett boys' track coach Brian Wallace can come to a quick assessment about his squad.

"We don't have a lot of depth, but we'll be better than we were last year," Wallace said. "Last year, our numbers were down and we didn't have a lot of experience. But this season, we've got some good athletes. And it looks like we'll be good across the board."

The Mountaineers, with 50 boys on the roster, will be led by a core of hard-working individual talent in both the field and running events. Some of these athletes are year-round performers, competing in cross country in the fall and indoor track during the winter. Several suit up for other athletic endeavors, like football.

Seniors expected to be key contributors include Patrick Massey, Tyler Russell, Pat Sullivan, Alex Leith and Tom Dowd. Massey excels in the pole vault, while Russell is strong in the shot put and discus. Both athletes are standout hurdlers. Meanwhile, cross country stalwart Leith is one of the better middle distance runners in Central Mass. Sullivan is steady in the pole vault. Dowd is a quality sprinter.

Junior Devin Schlichting is a versatile athlete who has emerged as a force in the triple jump, javelin and 400-meter dash. Wachusett will also get a big boost from football's Rocco DiMeco, the reigning Central Mass. Individual champion in the shotput during the winter season. DiMeco is a junior.

The Mountaineers have some up-andcoming talent as well. The youth contingent is led by sophomore distance specialist Matt Wood, and middle distance runners Scott Luro and Bryan Vangel.

"It's going to be an interesting season," Wallace said. "But we'll definitely be better this year, and we should improve as the season goes on."

Wachusett girls' coach Lucy Banks is optimistic that her team will be in the hunt for the league and District titles, though the squad has obstacles to overcome, headlined by the lack of a home facility, a problem affecting both teams.

At press time, the girls were slated to have at least one "home" meet at Marlboro High, and possibly one at WPI. The rest will be "double" meets with the boys at the site of the opposing school.

Banks added that Wachusett is going into the season injury plagued, with several key performers sidelined. Kim Shooshan has a stress fracture while Heather Cetto is out indefinitely with mono. Lindsey Willens has a knee problem while Katherine Banks has persistent stress reactions in her shin, limiting her to mostly cross trains. Mel Gross has been hindered by foot pain in the same location where she had a stress fracture last year.

On the plus side, the Mountaineers have been able to practice outdoors, thanks to the mild, snowless March. The team has numerous freshmen, most of whom are talented and enthusiastic. They are improving at a steady clip. Wachusett's veteran core of runners, jumpers and throwers, led by Amy Bernier, Lisa Wilson, Jess Carpenter, Katherine Banks, Molly Pistrang, Laura Socha, Casey Robertson and Emily Scannell, is working hard at its usual pace.

Banks noted that Bernier and Wilson appear primed for big seasons, while Pistrang is one of the top freshman track performers around.